He was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba with his name being pronounced “Mah-noo-ehl Bah roo-eh-koh”.
He started to play the guitar when he was eight years old and he received his musical education at the Esteban Salas Conservatory. He completed his studies under a scholarship for the Peabody Institute in Baltimore after he had emigrated to the United States with his family in 1967.
He won a Concert Artist Guild Award in 1974, when he was 22, which made him the first classical guitarist to receive one. Gaining great acclaim for his musical skills, he has performed all over the world, including 9 Japanese tours.
He has made more than a dozen recordings including premiere recordings of two guitar concertos by Antonio Vivaldi and new guitar works by Arvo Part and Roberto Sierra. He has appeared on the TV in Japan, German, Spain and America and his playing was heard on a commercial for Lexus cars.
He was named a Fontanals Fellow of United States Artists in 2012.
Isaac Albeniz recordings
Suite Espanola, Opus 47
EMI 66574 (CD: Manuel Barrueco plays Albeniz and Turina)
Here he is performing “Asturias” by Isaac Albeniz…
Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Barrueco#Past
2. http://www.barrueco.com/